Sink debris collection and transfer apparatus method of use

ABSTRACT

A method for collecting and therefor separating sink debris from other in-sink contents (dishes for example) and allow for liquids to drain simultaneously into the sink drain hole. This method is completed by installing a sink debris collection and transfer apparatus utilizing in-sink physical space. The method of installation and use of such apparatus is disclosed.

BACKGROUND

Most sinks have a garbage disposal installed under the sink. And have,in some capacity, a strainer, stopper or other like device to preventnon-food items and food debris solids from going into the garbagedisposal or sink drain. These sink apparatuses do not assist orencourage food debris to enter the garbage disposal; instead they clogthe sink drain hole and encourage sink debris laden liquids to pool andultimately cover the dishes lying on the bottom of the sink. The usermust manually clear the said debris so that the wash water and sinkdebris solids can enter the garbage disposal through the sink drainhole, adding both water resources and time to complete the task.Additionally, there is a need to collect debris within the sink spaceand allow sink liquids to pass into the garbage disposal. In light ofthe problems mentioned above an in-sink apparatus and its method of useis to be utilized.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The preferred method of utilizing like apparatus is to physically placeby hand said apparatus into a sink drain hole or upon the sink floor.The said apparatus may have weep holes that the user may need to becognizant of during installation and mount the apparatus until the weepholes align with the sink flange. Making a sealing connection with thesink flange, garbage disposal flange, sink floor or where there is asink basin that has a molded sink flange. The term sealing connection iscomprised of either a water tight or non-water tight connection. Theapparatus may have an inner wall that is angled wall toward the drainhole. Where there is a design element that is parallel to the inner wallof said apparatus, an outer wall may be introduced to connect to saidinner wall to comprise of a singular wall for rigidity and thickness.Such an apparatus may be comprised of an inner wall connecting acircular orifice, or the debris feed orifice, to a lower smallercircular orifice located closer to the drain hole opening of the sinkbasin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This detailed description will describe embodiments of a sink debriscollection and transfer apparatus, followed by an installation methodand method of use.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment ofthe sink debris collection and transfer apparatus.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of an exemplary embodiment of the sinkdebris collection and transfer apparatus.

FIG. 3 illustrates a bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of the sinkdebris collection and transfer apparatus.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side section view of an exemplary embodiment thesink debris collection and transfer apparatus.

FIG. 5 illustrates the sink debris collection and transfer apparatus inan environment.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 illustrate the “in-sink” physical space that the sinkcollection and transfer apparatus would reside therein.

FIG. 8 illustrates the sink debris collection and transfer apparatusangle of inner wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

Embodiments described and claimed herein address the foregoing problemby providing a detailed utilitarian function of a sink debris collectionand transfer apparatus and method of use. The sink debris collection andtransfer apparatus may be made of a solid, flexible or semiflexiblematerial or combination of different materials to achieve the same fitand or function. The word “apparatus” as it relates to this invention isdefined minimally as an apparatus that collects or transfers sink debrisas having a circular orifice, or debris feed orifice, that is attachedto an inner wall to a smaller orifice at the terminal end of the unit.Further, the apparatus is located within the physical space inside asink basin and is minimally defined further as an apparatus thatcollects or transfers sink debris while attached to a sink flange orsink floor.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment ofthe sink debris collection and transfer apparatus invention 200. Theapparatus 200 comprises a circular orifice 45, that in verticalarrangement, is the top orifice. Both the circular orifice 45 and thesmaller circular orifice 21 are arranged such that both orifice centersare vertically centered over each other. The orifice being centered overeach other is held in place by an inner wall 78 that completeencompasses the circular orifice 45 and attaches to a smaller circularorifice 21 that in vertical arrangement, is the bottom orifice. To givethis structure stability, a need arises to increase thickness to theinner wall 78. Thickness may be created by introducing an outer wall 36parallel to the inner wall 78. These two walls may be constructed eithersingular or combined, in other words, fused to create a singularthickness wall. Another embodiment of this apparatus 200 is the weepholes 95. The weep holes allows for drain liquids to pass through theapparatus 200 and into the sink drain hole 53. The weep holes 95 may beof any shape(s) or material(s) or number(s) or repeating pattern toachieve the same fit and or function.

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 illustrate a top view of an exemplary embodiment ofthe sink debris collection and transfer apparatus 200. This perspectiveshows the plurality of weep holes 95 spaced evenly around the apparatus200. The number of weep holes 95 may be singular or in a pluralitycount. These illustrations also show the inner wall 78 and the outerwall 36. The weep holes 95 may or may not be evenly spaced. Weep holes95 may take on various sizes, spacing, geometry.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side section view of an exemplary embodiment of thesink debris collection and transfer apparatus 200. As denoted by thehash marks, the inner wall 78 and outer wall 36 are fused to create asingular wall. It is possible to view the angle of the inner wall 78 asthe center of both the circular orifice 45 and smaller circular orifice21 are aligned. This angled inner wall 78 is instrumental to thefunction of the apparatus 200 and is shown in detail in FIG. 8 . Thus,allowing a volume of sink debris into said apparatus 200 and focusessaid debris under gravitational force to direct the debris downward andinward through the drain sink hole 53. The weep holes 95 are alsolocated proximal toward the smaller circular orifice 21.

FIG. 5 illustrates the sink debris collection and transfer apparatus 200in an environment. This environment is the “in-sink” area 90. Theillustration also shows the apparatus 200 in the position of use. Theposition of use is a physical union made between said apparatus outerwall 36 and a sink flange 58. The apparatus 200 has weep holes 95 thatare located in a vertical arrangement proximal to the smaller circularorifice 21. The weep holes 95 are aligned in a manner that intersectsalong the sink floor 74 allowing water to drain from the sink floor 74through the weep holes 95 and into the sink drain or garbage disposal.The sink drain hole 53 is shown with a typical drain flange 58 that theapparatus 200 would make the physical connection thereto.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 illustrate the “in-sink” physical space 90 that thesink collection and transfer apparatus would reside therein, Theapparatus 200 physical capacity to contain sink debris is predominatelylocated in the “in-sink” physical space 90 in all planes of physicalspace, x, y and z denoting width, height and length, respectively. Thedistal portion of said apparatus 200 in a vertical arrangementphysically resides within the attachment to the sink drain hole 53 andcompromises of a physical connection or union to a typical flange 58.This attachment to the sink drain hole 53 perimeter may be in the formof a sink flange 58, garbage disposal flange, or any connection to thesink drain hole 53 and is made of metal or any other material. In avertical arrangement the distal portion of the apparatus outer wall 36exemplary embodiment would physically connect to the vertical wall of asink flange 58, or the like, that covers the sink drain hole 53. Thisflange 58 could also be a part of a garbage disposal flange or any othertype of flange that covers a sink hole drain 53. There may also beinstances where the sink itself doesn't use an additional flange but isincorporated into said sink, in which, the apparatus 200 performs thesame fit and function.

FIG. 8 illustrates the sink debris collection and transfer apparatusangle of inner wall 78. In this illustration the sink debris collectionand transfer apparatus 200 is in a non-opaque color and the inner wall78 is represented as having a non-opaque hashed line denoting the innerwall 78. In a black color hashed line is representative of the X axisand Y axis. The angled black dark hash line is the angle of the originalinner wall 78 that connects both circular orifice 45 and smallercircular orifice 21 as their centers are vertical aligned with eachother. Also of note here is that there are two symbols theta 1 and theta2. These symbols are the greek letter theta representing an angle. Thesaid apparatus 200 has an angle theta 1 equal to an angle theta 2.Mathematically, these two opposite angles are equal, denoting that theinner wall 78 takes on an inward angle as measured downward from the topof the inner circular orifice. Theta 1 or theta 2 may or may not beequal to zero degrees from the Y axis for the full or partial lengthwhen measured vertically from top to bottom.

Lastly, the apparatus 200 method of use is simply to create a unionbetween the apparatus 200 and a sink flange 58. The user will insert theapparatus 200 so that the weep holes 95 allow for adequate liquidtransfer from the sink floor 74, through the walls 78, 36 of saidapparatus 200 and into the sink drain or garbage disposal.

The method of use more specifically is to:

-   -   Visually inspect the sink drain opening of the sink drain hole        53 prior to installation of said apparatus 200,    -   Next is to ensure a clear opening of the sink drain hole 53,    -   Ensure no additional sink apparatus reside in the sink flange 58        space in a manner that would impede the sealing of said        apparatus 200 with the sink flange 58,    -   Manually install said sink apparatus 200 within the sink flange        58 in a manner that allows a sealing connection with said sink        flange 58 and the outer wall 36 of the apparatus 200,    -   Ensure the sink apparatus 200 is installed in a manner that        allow weep holes 95 to be used effectively for sink liquid        transfer from the sink floor 74 through the apparatus 200 and        ultimately into the sink drain or garbage disposal.

The apparatus 200 is installed such that sink liquids freely flow fromsaid sink floor 74 or sink drain flange 58 through said apparatus walls36, 78.

The above specifications and examples provide a description of thestructure and use of exemplary embodiments of the described articles ofmanufacture and methods. A person of ordinary skill in the art wouldunderstand that various changes or modifications may be made theretowithout departing from the scope of the claims.

1. A method of utilizing an in-sink collection and transfer apparatuscomprising the steps of: Visually inspect the sink drain opening of thesink drain hole prior to installation of said apparatus, Ensure a clearopening of the sink drain hole, Ensure no additional sink apparatusreside in the sink flange space in a manner that would impede thesealing of said apparatus with the sink flange, Manually install saidsink apparatus within the sink flange in a manner that allows a sealingconnection with said sink flange and the outer wall of the apparatus,and; Ensure the sink apparatus is installed in a manner that allow weepholes to be used effectively for sink liquid transfer from the sinkfloor through the apparatus and ultimately into the sink drain orgarbage disposal.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said utilizing anin-sink collection and transfer apparatus comprises of an apparatuswherein utilizing the in-sink physical space to collect and transfersink debris to said sink drain opening.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein said utilizing an in-sink collection and transfer apparatuscomprises of an apparatus wherein utilizing the in-sink physical spaceto collect and transfer sink debris to said sink drain when saidapparatus comprises of a circular orifice, or debris feed orifice,located in the in-sink physical space and is creating a sealingconnection, either water tight or non-water right, to said sink floor orsink drain hole flange.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said sealingconnection to said sink floor or sink drain hole flange comprises of awater tight or non-water tight connection.
 5. The method of claim 1,wherein said manually install said sink apparatus within the sink flangein a manner that allows a sealing connection with said sink flange andthe outer wall of the apparatus is said outer wall wherein said wall isa singular wall.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein said manually installsaid sink apparatus within the sink flange in a manner that allows asealing connection with said sink flange and the outer wall of theapparatus comprises also of installation upon sink floor whereapplicable.